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Psalm 120

A song of ascents.

1 I call on the Lord in my distress,and he answers me.2 Save me, Lord,from lying lipsand from deceitful tongues.

3 What will he do to you,and what more besides,you deceitful tongue?4 He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows,with burning coals of the broom bush.

5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek,that I live among the tents of Kedar!6 Too long have I livedamong those who hate peace.7 I am for peace;but when I speak, they are for war.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?2 My help comes from the Lord,the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;4 indeed, he who watches over Israelwill neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand;6 the sun will not harm you by day,nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;8 the Lord will watch over your coming and goingboth now and forevermore.

Psalm 122

A song of ascents. Of David.

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”2 Our feet are standingin your gates, Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built like a citythat is closely compacted together.4 That is where the tribes go up—the tribes of the Lord—to praise the name of the Lordaccording to the statute given to Israel.5 There stand the thrones for judgment,the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:“May those who love you be secure.7 May there be peace within your wallsand security within your citadels.”8 For the sake of my family and friends,I will say, “Peace be within you.”9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,I will seek your prosperity.

Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink?5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas[a]?6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?

7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”[b] Is it about oxen that God is concerned?10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.